29 Hot tips for professional biofeedback application. Temperature monitoring.

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29 Hot tips for professional

biofeedback application.

By Prof. Spiro Diamantidis M.D TEMPERATURE MONITORING

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Presented at 15th annual B.F.E meeting Munich, Germany 22-26 February 2011

Workshop: “ 29 Hot tips for professional biofeedback application” Revised edition. Version B1.0.0

TEMPERATURE MONITORING (THERMAL)Hand out by Prof. Spiro Diamantidis M.D

Dear LinkedIn colleagues. Knowledge has many levels. I offer you this initial level that may be used as a foundation

for more extended knowledge in the future, wishing you all the best of success.

Please give me feedback regarding the use and utilization of this work.

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Presented at 15th annual B.F.E meeting Munich, Germany 22-26 February 2011 by Prof. Spiro Diamantidis M.D

Biofeedback is a technically supported scientific process demanding special Biofeedback is a technically supported scientific process demanding special knowledge and understanding of the equipment as well as of the monitored knowledge and understanding of the equipment as well as of the monitored

organism’s neurophysiology, in order to enable practitioner to achieve the best of organism’s neurophysiology, in order to enable practitioner to achieve the best of valid for evaluation data. Although there are no tricks in science and especially in valid for evaluation data. Although there are no tricks in science and especially in

neurophysiology, still there are some processes helping the biofeedback applier to neurophysiology, still there are some processes helping the biofeedback applier to organize and utilize his practice without losing any infoorganize and utilize his practice without losing any info

useful for assessment or application. The does and don't s in biofeedback, consisting useful for assessment or application. The does and don't s in biofeedback, consisting the set of skills required for successful biofeedback practices, will be presented in the set of skills required for successful biofeedback practices, will be presented in

this workshop in order to establish, support or enhancethis workshop in order to establish, support or enhancepractitioner’s skills according to their former knowledge and understanding. The practitioner’s skills according to their former knowledge and understanding. The

electronic data labyrinth usually under or hyper estimated, need an Ariadne’s clew electronic data labyrinth usually under or hyper estimated, need an Ariadne’s clew which will be provided to the attendees of this workshop in order to help them which will be provided to the attendees of this workshop in order to help them

practice and develop mastery on how to understand the function mechanism of the practice and develop mastery on how to understand the function mechanism of the equipment, how to operate the equipment, how to record the physiological signals, equipment, how to operate the equipment, how to record the physiological signals, how to distinguish them from artefacts and how to find the correlation between the how to distinguish them from artefacts and how to find the correlation between the

physiological signals and the person’s internal or external events. Skin conductance, physiological signals and the person’s internal or external events. Skin conductance, temperature, surface electromyography, photoplethysmograph, respiration and HRV temperature, surface electromyography, photoplethysmograph, respiration and HRV will be discovered. The main gain from this hand out is the concentrated knowledge will be discovered. The main gain from this hand out is the concentrated knowledge that could be used as an every-days guide to the special pathways of a successful that could be used as an every-days guide to the special pathways of a successful

biofeedback practice.biofeedback practice.

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Temperature Monitoring Temperature Monitoring (THERMAL)(THERMAL)

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Tip: Tip: Behavioral test for every physiological signal Behavioral test for every physiological signal should be applied before the beginning of any should be applied before the beginning of any

recording.recording.Tip: Tip: Always ask trainee's permission to touch in Always ask trainee's permission to touch in relation with any manipulation during training.relation with any manipulation during training.Tip: Tip: Attach the thermistor in the trainee’s non Attach the thermistor in the trainee’s non

dominant index finger.dominant index finger.Tip: Tip: Calibrating the thermistor and attaching it Calibrating the thermistor and attaching it correctly on the trainee's non-dominant index correctly on the trainee's non-dominant index finger is critical for avoiding the “blanketing finger is critical for avoiding the “blanketing

effect”.effect”.

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Tip: Tip: Do all your measurements of the same trainee locating Do all your measurements of the same trainee locating sensor every time on the same part of the body, to avoid sensor every time on the same part of the body, to avoid

thermistor location artifact.thermistor location artifact.Note: Note: Training in thermal control somebody who indulges in Training in thermal control somebody who indulges in

reach meals with big quantities of alcohol (vasodilator) followed reach meals with big quantities of alcohol (vasodilator) followed by a strong coffee (vasoconstrictor) is like hunting butterflies by a strong coffee (vasoconstrictor) is like hunting butterflies

with a torn net.with a torn net.Tip: Tip: A good practice in thermal biofeedback training is to use A good practice in thermal biofeedback training is to use both a photoplethysmograph and a thermistor simultaneously both a photoplethysmograph and a thermistor simultaneously

so as to help trainees to regulate their body temperature by so as to help trainees to regulate their body temperature by regulating their blood flow.regulating their blood flow.

Tip: Tip: In thermal training it may be necessary to re-adjust the In thermal training it may be necessary to re-adjust the temperature range as time progresses so start by setting a temperature range as time progresses so start by setting a

meaningful display range that allows you to track all possible meaningful display range that allows you to track all possible temperature changes. temperature changes.

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Tip: Tip: The former technique helps you to have all the The former technique helps you to have all the information on screen when providing after training information on screen when providing after training

feedback to the trainee. feedback to the trainee. Tip: Tip: Don't forget markers since they are the compass in Don't forget markers since they are the compass in the route of training. Markers are very important for safe the route of training. Markers are very important for safe

and utilized training and for extracting awareness and utilized training and for extracting awareness arising conclusions.arising conclusions.

Tip: Tip: Respect, warmth and caring by the therapist can be Respect, warmth and caring by the therapist can be just as important ingredients for success as proper use just as important ingredients for success as proper use

of specific biofeedback procedures. of specific biofeedback procedures. Note: Note: Temperature self regulation is subject to the Temperature self regulation is subject to the influence of the “person effect” more than other influence of the “person effect” more than other

biofeedback modalities. biofeedback modalities.

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Tip: Tip: Use the changing attitude techniques to avoid Use the changing attitude techniques to avoid impersonal attitude so as to express a positive “person impersonal attitude so as to express a positive “person

effect” and increase your outcome as a biofeedback effect” and increase your outcome as a biofeedback trainer-therapist.trainer-therapist.

Note: Note: Training conditions and trainers attitude that arise Training conditions and trainers attitude that arise the trainee's feelings of support, care and acceptance, the trainee's feelings of support, care and acceptance,

facilitate peripheral hand warming and the sense of facilitate peripheral hand warming and the sense of general relaxation.general relaxation.

Tip: Tip: Give after training feedback by analyzing the whole Give after training feedback by analyzing the whole graph always in correspondence with the events and not graph always in correspondence with the events and not

only parts of it.only parts of it.Tip: Tip: Be aware of the artifacts that are different extraneous Be aware of the artifacts that are different extraneous

variables influencing the biofeedback measurement.variables influencing the biofeedback measurement.

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Tip: Tip: Don't underestimate the use of rubber insulated Don't underestimate the use of rubber insulated adhesion tape to attach the sensor to avoid ambient adhesion tape to attach the sensor to avoid ambient

temperature artifact. temperature artifact. Note: Note: Ambient temperature artifact is a common Ambient temperature artifact is a common

cause of failure in thermal training in trainees with cause of failure in thermal training in trainees with low temperature start regarding body core low temperature start regarding body core

temperature.temperature.Tip: Tip: Be aware of the blanketing artifact.Be aware of the blanketing artifact.

Tip: Tip: For more accurate measurements especially For more accurate measurements especially with narrow range display settings and small with narrow range display settings and small increments, isolate thermistor wire with wire increments, isolate thermistor wire with wire isolation tube to avoid stem effect artifactisolation tube to avoid stem effect artifact.

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Tip: Tip: In temperature measurements at athletes or high In temperature measurements at athletes or high performers on real time and motion on the field it is a must to performers on real time and motion on the field it is a must to

cover the thermistor with isolating tape and the wire with cover the thermistor with isolating tape and the wire with isolating tube. isolating tube.

Tip: Tip: Take always into consideration the law of initial values Take always into consideration the law of initial values i.e. the initial starting point of a physiological measurement. i.e. the initial starting point of a physiological measurement. Feedback must be clear and sound both in high or law initial Feedback must be clear and sound both in high or law initial

values. values. Note: Note: Increasing extremities temperature by controlling and Increasing extremities temperature by controlling and

raising peripheral blood flow facilitates a psychological sense raising peripheral blood flow facilitates a psychological sense of general relaxation.of general relaxation.

Tip: Tip: Before training for temperature control make a bio-Before training for temperature control make a bio-behavioral assessment testing trainee's ability of autonomic behavioral assessment testing trainee's ability of autonomic

body function to be affected by imagery. body function to be affected by imagery.

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Tip: Tip: Remind trainees not to forget to include in their Remind trainees not to forget to include in their imagery all five senses i.e. tactile, visual, olfactory, imagery all five senses i.e. tactile, visual, olfactory,

auditory and gustatory.auditory and gustatory.Tip: Tip: Adjust temperature control strategy to trainee's Adjust temperature control strategy to trainee's

idiosyncrasy.idiosyncrasy.Tip: Tip: Keep the trainee's thermoregulatory mechanism in Keep the trainee's thermoregulatory mechanism in balance adjusting the training room temperature within balance adjusting the training room temperature within

the normal range regarding trainee's idiosyncrasy.the normal range regarding trainee's idiosyncrasy.

Note: Note: Since stressors are causing sympathetic arousal, Since stressors are causing sympathetic arousal, the worst indication for the physiological system is the the worst indication for the physiological system is the

inability to return to the pre-baseline levels. inability to return to the pre-baseline levels.

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Tip: Tip: Try to avoid judgmental statements or advice-giving, Try to avoid judgmental statements or advice-giving, except except regarding specific procedures in this modality.regarding specific procedures in this modality.

Note: Note: Law of “reverse effort” that influences many Law of “reverse effort” that influences many physiological functions, has a special negative effect on physiological functions, has a special negative effect on

non judgmental allowing condition that facilitates peripheral non judgmental allowing condition that facilitates peripheral warming.warming.

Note: Note: Success in peripheral warming doesn't depend on Success in peripheral warming doesn't depend on absolute number of degrees of temperature raising but absolute number of degrees of temperature raising but

rather on the number of degrees near the core body rather on the number of degrees near the core body temperature.temperature.

Note: Note: Passive attention that lets things happen with no Passive attention that lets things happen with no judgment or strive can be a powerful trigger for autonomic judgment or strive can be a powerful trigger for autonomic

changes.changes.

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Tip: Tip: In order to be a successful thermal trainer-therapist it is In order to be a successful thermal trainer-therapist it is important to develop the right intonation, inflection, speed of important to develop the right intonation, inflection, speed of

delivery, voice volume and correspondence between verbal and delivery, voice volume and correspondence between verbal and non verbal cues when applying autogenic phrases. non verbal cues when applying autogenic phrases.

Tip: Tip: Trainer-therapist should change the imagery theme or style Trainer-therapist should change the imagery theme or style of speaking according to the fluctuation or direction of trainee's of speaking according to the fluctuation or direction of trainee's

temperature.temperature.Tip: Tip: In temperature control autogenic training, if you notice that In temperature control autogenic training, if you notice that a specific phrase leads to an increase of peripheral temperature, a specific phrase leads to an increase of peripheral temperature,

keep repeating the same phrase until the temperature stops keep repeating the same phrase until the temperature stops increasing. increasing.

Tip: Tip: If an image in guided imagery is followed by a decrease in If an image in guided imagery is followed by a decrease in temperature it is possible to be triggered an anxious response temperature it is possible to be triggered an anxious response

due to trainee's former traumatic experience. In such a case due to trainee's former traumatic experience. In such a case change to an image that promotes relaxation. change to an image that promotes relaxation.

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Tip: Tip: For being a successful thermal trainer-therapist never give For being a successful thermal trainer-therapist never give orders or demands for relaxation avoiding thus to trigger the orders or demands for relaxation avoiding thus to trigger the phenomenon of reverse response. You always create images phenomenon of reverse response. You always create images

that promote feelings of relaxation, relieving heaviness, that promote feelings of relaxation, relieving heaviness, comfortable warmth, peace and serenity. comfortable warmth, peace and serenity.

Tip: Tip: Give the sufficient time for every one of the following steps Give the sufficient time for every one of the following steps of biofeedback training process. 1) awareness 2) use of of biofeedback training process. 1) awareness 2) use of

moderate and controlled exertion 3) realization 4) skilfulness 5) moderate and controlled exertion 3) realization 4) skilfulness 5) application and combination with plain activities 6) mastering 7) application and combination with plain activities 6) mastering 7)

counting benefits 8) ensuring results 9) application to more counting benefits 8) ensuring results 9) application to more complex and difficult activities (sports, high performance)complex and difficult activities (sports, high performance)

Tip: Tip: It is very important for the trainee to fill up carefully the data It is very important for the trainee to fill up carefully the data forms in any phase of training since these are precious forms in any phase of training since these are precious

feedback offering tools.feedback offering tools.

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I wish you all the best of success.I wish you all the best of success.If you need any help don’t hesitate to contact me.If you need any help don’t hesitate to contact me.

29 Hot tips for professional biofeedback application. Temperature monitoring.

Health & Medicine

Transcript of 29 Hot tips for professional biofeedback application. Temperature monitoring.